Direction-signal



M. DRANE.

DIRECTION SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.1I. 1919.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT o EIoE. I

MERRITT DRANE, or LYNDON, KENTUCKY.

DinEoTIoN-sIGnAL.

Application filed August 11, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERRITT DRANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lyndon, in the county of Jefierson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Direction Signals,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to direction signal devices employed in connection with motor vehicles to indicate the fact that the driver is about to make a turn, and also the clirection of the contemplated turn, thereby giving notice of the drivers intention.

The invention has for its object to provide a very simple and 'eflicient device of the kind stated, and also one which is readily adjustable to properly fit cars of different widths.

The object stated is attained by means of a novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the invention partly in section, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of certain clamping devices.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the signal or indicator member is a casing 10 inclosing an electric lamp 11 so that the signal may be observed after dark, and bearing on its front and rear faces the represen tation of a hand. The casing is carried by a stem 12 which is pivoted, as shown at 13, to a rod 14- carried by an attaching member which is secured to the windshield frame 15 of the car.

The signal member 10 swings in a vertical plane, and it is normally erect alongside the car. When the signal is to be given the member is swung downwardly to extend straight outward from the car horizontall Each side of the car is equipped with a sig nal device, and the direction in which the car is to turn will be indicated by projecting the device on that side of the car toward which the turn is to be made. The two signal devices, and their controlling means, are alike, and hence, a description of one suffices for both.

The attaching or supporting member for the rod 14 is a double clamp consisting of members 16 and 17, respectively, of the split sleeve type of clamps The member 16 is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6,1920. Serial No. 316,771.

vertically positioned to be slippedover the part. 15, to which latter it is secured by clamping screws 18. The member 17 extends laterally from the member 16 and it is positioned to engage the rod 14, the latter being horizontal. A clamping screw 19 is provided for drawing the member 16 together to grip the rod 1 1, and upon releasing the rod, the latter can be slid lengthwise through the clamp for a purpose to be presently described.

At 20 is shown a horizontally positioned tube which houses a slidable rod 21 having at its inner end a laterally extending handle 22 projecting through a slot 23 in the tube, there being a notch 24 at one end of the slot into which the handle is adapted to be swung to lock the rod 21 in retracted position.

The outer end of the rod 21 is threaded to screw into a signal actuating bar 25 which is also slidably mounted in the tube 20 and has its outer end connected by a link 26 to an arm 12 extending laterally from the stem 12 of the signal device 10. It will therefore be seen that when the rod 21 is moved to the left in Fig. 1, the signal device is swung down into horizontal or display position, and upon drawing back the rod, the signal device is swung back to erect, nondisplay position. The rod 21 is operated by the handle 22.

A spring 27 may be employed for assisting to restore the signal device 10 to non display position. This spring is coiled around the rod 21 between its handle 22 and an abutment 28 in the tube 20.

The tube 20 is supported by the rod 1 1, the latter having a laterally extending arm 29 provided at its outer end with a clamping member 30 which engages the tube 20, the latter being gripped by operating a screw 31 to tighten the clamping member around the tube.

The means for securing the device in place on the car permit ready adjustment to different widths of cars. Adjustment is read" ily made after loosening the clamping members 17 and 30 and disconnecting the link 26 from the parts 25 or 12 The rod 1 1 can now be slid in the clamping member 17, and the clamping member 30 can he slid on the tube 20, and the part 25 can be ad justed by screwing it back or forth on the threaded end of the rod 21.

The lamp 11 obtains current from a wire ried by the rod 14. The stem 12 carries a conductor 35 housed in a tube 36 secured to said stem. To the ends of the Wires 32 and 35 are connected contacts which come to-t gether to close the lamp circuit When the signal device 10 is swung to display position, and When it is restored to non-display position, the contacts separate and the lamp circuit is broken. This circuit control is a Well-known expedient, and as nothing is claimed with respect thereto, a further description is not deemed necessary.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, but it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

I claim:

A direction signal comprising a double clamping member, a longitudinally adjustable rod carried by one of the clamps of said member,'a pivoted indicator carried by the rod, a slidable actuator for the indicator, an operating rod having an adjustable connection With the actuator, a support'for the actuator and the operating rod, and an arm extending from the first-mentioned rod and having an adjustable connection With the support.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MERRITT DRANE. 

